Sorrow in the Night, Hope in the Morning
by PizzaNSunshine
Summary: It's been forty-two years since Luisa and Francisco lost their daughter at the hands of the evil sorceress, but to them the loss still feels fresh and new. As Luisa takes a personal day to grieve and remember, she has an epiphany that renews her hope for the days to come. Prompt submitted by Anon on Tumblr.


Luisa sighed as she stared unseeingly into the vanity mirror before her–– eyes glazed with unshed tears. Busy though the Flores family matron usually was, this day she'd decided to dismiss her typical duties for some much needed time to herself. It was the one year anniversary of the deaths of her daughter, Queen Lucia and her son-in-law, King Raul, who had been like a son to her. Though, technically it was the forty-second anniversary of their deaths, which was confusing in and of itself, to Luisa, the memory still felt raw and new–– like it had happened only yesterday. She remembered vividly the moment that had turned her entire life upside down.

–––––

 _Luisa surveyed the dinner table with satisfaction. It was a special occasion and she'd dismissed the kitchen staff for the night that she might personally prepare dinner for her family–– her daughter and son-in-law had been away for the week, on their annual tour of the kingdom and were expected to return home by dinner time that evening. Luisa had prepared a batch her famous tamales, knowing how much Raul always enjoyed them and had baked pan dulce especially for her dear Lucia, knowing it was her favorite._

 _Francisco and Isabel had just entered the room together and Luisa smiled indulgently as she noticed the smudge of dirt on her granddaughter's sweet face._

" _Ooh! Pan dulce!" Isabel exclaimed with a giggle, reaching across the table to snag one from the top, Francisco doing the same right beside her._

" _Aye! Francisco! Isa! That's for dinner tonight! Isa, save some for your mami!" Luisa chastised the two, swatting the air near their hands._

 _Both grandfather and granddaughter quickly pulled their hands back and shot nearly identical repentant looks at Luisa._

" _Sorry, abuela," Isa said just as Francisco said, "Yes, mi amor."._

 _The two looked so comical with their"caught in the act" expressions that Luisa laughed. "Oh, alright, you two! I'm sure nobody will miss two pieces of pan dulce."_

 _Isabel giggled and snatched her pan dulce piece from the top of the stack. "Thanks abuela!"_

 _All three jumped as Elena burst into the dining room like a canon, slamming the double doors behind her. Her eyes wild with panic and her face streaked with tears._

" _Elena!" Luisa cried out, running to her eldest granddaughter, "What's wrong? What happened?"_

" _Mami! Papi!" the sixteen year old sobbed, "They're gone!"_

" _Elena," Francisco said calmly, "They've been gone for a week. They'll be home soon. You know this."_

" _No! They're gone! Dead! Attacked! Outside! We have to run! Now!"_

 _Luisa thought the ground was falling from beneath her feet–– she felt dizzy. Gone? Her daughter? It couldn't be true._

" _Attacked?" Francisco asked, putting his arm around Luisa to steady her, "Who would dare attack the king and queen?"_

" _A sorceress," Elena said, opening her arms for Isabel, who was crying now, "She had a wand and was flying. There was a flash of green light and mami and papi and their guards vanished into thin air. Only the coach and the horses were left behind. We have to run. I have to get you all to safety. Where's Esteban?"_

" _He went off somewhere with Victor this morning," Luisa choked through her sobs, "Oh, I do hope he's ok!"_

 _Elena looked torn, "I don't want to leave him, but if he's not here, perhaps that's for the best. He's safer than we are anyways. Come on. We have to go."_

 _Screams echoed through the palace. Apparently, the sorceress had crossed the threshold and was taking no mercy on anyone who stood in her way. Francisco looked anxiously over his shoulder as if he could see through the wall to the massacre beyond. "We must hide you and your sister. You are the heirs and must be protected."_

 _Elena led her family through the palace, away from the screams and shouts, towards the secret escape route beneath the palace. She didn't know what they were going to do, only that they needed to get out of there. Cutting through the throne room, Elena hurried her family on. Opening the door on the other end, she cried out as they collided with a figure just on the other side of the door._

 _Blocking her sister with her own body, Elena was ready to fight to protect Isabel. As she looked more closely, she relaxed when she noticed who it was they had run into._

" _Alakazar!"_

" _Yes, your highness. I heard of the attack and was coming to find you. We must get you to safety and I have an idea."_

 _He explained the spell he had prepared to preserve the family in an enchanted painting until Avalor was safe again._

" _But, it's a complex ritual and will require time to cast. We risk the sorceress finding us before it's complete._

 _Elena drew herself up to her full height and, clenching her fists at her side, and said, "I will go and face the sorceress. I'll distract her to buy you time."_

 _Before anyone could protest, she turned on her heel and dashed from the room._

" _Elena!" Luisa screamed. No, she couldn't let her granddaughter–– the future queen, the hope of Avalor–– face certain death while she, Luisa, who, had already lived a rich, full life, hid like a coward for who knew how long in a magical painting._

 _As she stepped forward to run after her, Francisco took hold of her arm. "You can't, amor. We must stay here to protect Isabel. She's going to need us when this is all over."_

 _It was a horrible choice to make. Luisa was reeling from the loss of her daughter, son-in-law, and now Elena. She was terrified for Esteban. Her world was crumbling around her and there was nothing she could do to fix it. Looking down to where Isabel stood, trembling as she clung to her grandmother's skirts, Luisa's eyes softened and she was filled with resolve. She couldn't bring back her daughter or Elena or Esteban. But she could do this–– she could be there for her youngest grandchild even if it meant hiding. She would protect this child with her dying breath._

 _Exhaling a deep, calming breath, Luisa shoved down the fear and grief, focusing on the situation at hand._

" _I'm ready."_

–––––

The tears flowed freely as she remembered the details of that dreadful day so long ago, yet not so very long ago. She missed her Lucia so much–– it hurt her heart whenever she thought of it. She missed the happy times they'd all shared before that fateful night. She'd missed most of Esteban's life–– it was so odd to think that he was nearly as old as she was. She was missing so much because of that witch–– it made her angry while simultaneously breaking her heart.

Burying her face in her hands, she took a few moments to mourn what was lost–– to mourn her beloved daughter. She remembered her Lucia's laugh and her gentle smile. She remembered the mischievous gleam in her eye whenever she'd conspire with Elena to play jokes on the rest of the family. She remembered the many pleasant afternoons they'd spent in the kitchen together, baking treats to share. Lucia truly was her shining light. But, she realized as she pondered––

" _Mi amor_? I thought I'd find you in here."

Luisa looked into the mirror and saw Francisco's concerned face peering at her from the doorway. Seeing the tear sparkling on her cheeks, he crossed the room to sit on the small vanity bench beside her, sliding a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"I was remembering her too," he said, grief edging the usually calm voice.

"I just miss her so much," Luisa sniffed, wrapping her arms around her husband's middle and burying her face in his chest.

"As do I," he said, his voice thick with emotion.

"But, I've realized that while we may miss her desperately, we have been blessed by two big parts of her. We still have Elena and Isabel. I see so much of her in both of them everyday."

Francisco thought a moment, before saying, "True, Elena has her smile. Her eyes twinkle when she smiles exactly the same as Lucia's did."

Luisa laughed, "Elena also has her mischievousness and her sense of adventure."

"Both girls have her uncommonly kind nature."

"And Isa has her inquisitiveness!" Luisa smiled fondly.

Francisco and Luisa remained like that for sometime, drawing strength from the other's embrace and taking comfort in finding precious bits of their daughter in the daughters she left behind.

Hearing laughter from outside the palace, Francisco and Luisa stood and walked to the window, peering through the sheer curtains to the garden below. Luisa beamed as she beheld her granddaughters kicking an olaball back and forth under the bright summer sun. She knew that nothing could replace her beloved Lucia who had been lost, but these girls had become just as precious to her in their own way. They brought joy and love and laughter to her life and gave the older woman a purpose.

Arm in arm, the couple stood watching their granddaughters seeing them as the hope and heart of the future for both themselves and for the entire kingdom of Avalor.


End file.
